Lid support



Jan. 6, 1942. B. R. CARSON 3 3 LID SUPP-CRT Filed March 18, 1939 INVENTOR fle/y'a/m'n E Carson Patented Jan. 6, 1942 LID SUPPORT Benjamin R. Carsbm'dafmden, N. 1., assignor to Morton Tucker, Magnolia,.N. J.

Application March 18, 1939, Serial No. 262,663 2 Claims. (o1. 217-60) This invention relates to lid supports for "the pivoted lids or covers of phonograph cabinets, pianos, chests, and other similar cabinets, and it has for its principal object the provision of an r improved lid support'which will automatically support the lid in any position to which it is raised.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved lid support for cabinets provided with hinged lids which will effectively counter-balance the Weight of the lid in its various angular positions and which will not permit the lid to drop down to closed position.

- Another object of my invention is to provide an improved compensating lid support of the character referred to which, althou-ghadapted to hold an open lid in any position to which it is opened, will nevertheless not offer undue resistance to the closing of the lid.

Another object of my invention is to, provide an improved lid support of the character set forth which will insure against slamming, the lid into closed position.

Another object of my invention isto provide an improved lid support as set forth above which will permit the lid being readily opened with but slight effort, I

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved lid support which will effectively retain or look the lid in closed position after the lid has been fully closed.

Still other and veryimportant objects of invention are to provide. an improved lid support of the character previously described which is comprised of a minimum number of parts, which is constituted by an entirely self contained unit, which is highly efficient in use, and which is inexpensive in cost from the standpoints of both cost of material and manufacture.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of my invention I accomplish by providing a casing which may be secured to a side wall of the cabinet adjacent to the lid and in which a coil spring is housed. One end of the spring is secured to an adjustable member by means of which its tension may be adjusted, and the other end of the spring is secured to the lower end of a lever pivotally mounted on a flange on the casing and extending through an opening or slot in the top of the casing. The upper end of the lever is pivotally connect-ed to one end of a link which, in turn, is pivoted to a bracket secured to the lid or cover of the cabinet. The parts are so arranged that, as the lid or cover is lowered toward closing position, the pivoted lever extends parts throughout, and in which the spring and thereby places it under great tension to counterbalance theincreased moment of forces about the axis of the lid hinge. The reverse action takes place, of course, when the lid is raised.

"The pivoted lever has its pivot point close to the end thereof to Which the coil spring is secured, and thus, as the lid nears its fully closed position it is lowered, the coil spring is placed under considerable tension. This prevents the lid from slamming into closedposition. At the same time, since the spring constantly'te'nds to contract, only a slight force is required to open and raise the lid again. The lengths of the pivoted lever and its associated link areso chosen that, when the lid is in fully closed position, the lever, acting under the influence of thecoil spring, applies a force on the link in a'direction toward the lid hinge, and this effects a locking action upon the lid. V

My present invention is capable ofreceiving aivariety of expressions. For purposes of illustration, I have shown one embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawing in which the same character references designate corresp nding Figure 1 is a side elevation of theillustrated embodiment of my invention, the full lines showing the parts in open position, and the dot-anddash lines showing the parts in fully closed position,

Figure 2 is a somewhat enlarged top plan view thereofwith the parts corresponding substantially to the full-line position of Figure 1, and Figure 3 isa sectional View taken. along the: line 33ofFigure2.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, there is shown a portion of a phonograph cabinet I having the usual motor board (not shown) and a cover or lid 2 hinged thereto. Secured to a side wall of the casing I above the motor board and adjacent to the lid 2 (when in closed position) is a casing 3 provided with a slot 4. The casing 3 is also formed with an outwardly extending peripheral flange 5 which lies flat against the cabinet wall, and it is secured to the cabinet in any suitable way, as by means of screws 6 passing through openings 1 in the flange 5.

The flange 5 is formed with a seat 5aon which is pivotally mounted a lever 8 of the first class, the lower and shorter end or arm 8a of the lever 8 extending down through the slot 4 and into the casing 3 in which it is concealed when the casing is mounted as above-described. The upper and much longer arm 8b of the lever B is pivotally connected at 9 to one end of a link I the other end of which, in turn, is pivotally connected at I I to a bracket I2 secured to the cover or lid 2.

Housed and completely concealed within the casing 3 when it is secured to the cabinet I as noted above is a coil spring I3 which has one end secured to a pin or stud I4 carried on the lower end of the short lever arm 8a, the other end of the coil spring I3 being adjustably connected to the casing 3. Any suitable adjusting member may be employed for this purpose, and by Way of illustration, I have shown a screw I5 seated in an opening in one end of the casing 3 and threaded into a nut I6 which is externally threaded for reception by the turns or convolutions of the spring I3. The nut I6 remains fixed in the coil spring I3 and as the screw I5 is turned one Way or the other, the tension in the' spring I3 is increased or decreased, depending on which way the screw I5 is turned. It will be obvious from an inspection of Figure 3 that the screw I5 can be adjusted easily from a point external the casing 3 and without dismantling any of the parts.

In the operation of my improved lid support, it will be apparent that when the lid is lowered, the link I0 gradually turns the lever 8 in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Figures 1 and 3) and this extends the spring I3 to increase its tension and thus counterbalance the gradually increasing moment of forces about the axis of the lid hinge II. Conversely, as the lid is opened, the spring I3 is gradually permitted to contract in response to the counter-clockwise movement of the lever 8 to decrease its tension while still balancing the lid in any position to which it may have been opened.

Toward the end of the downward movement of the lid 2 to closing position, the tension of the spring I3 becomes very great, and this prevents slamming of the lid against the cabinet. When the closed position is finally reached, the pivotal connection 9 occupies a position somewhat nearer to the motor board than that occupied by the pivotal connection II, as clearly shown in Figure 1 by the dot-and-dash lines. Now, the lever 8 at this time tries to turn counterclockwise in response to the spring I3, and in this attempt, it applies a force on the link I0 and on the lid 2 in a direction toward the axis of the hinge I'I, thereby releasably but securely locking the lid in closed position against acci dental opening. However, no difficulty is encountered in opening the lid 2 because, upon opening or raising it, the link II is also raised away from the lever 8 and the spring I3 tends to assist in the raising action,

Although I have described the illustrated embodiment of my invention in great detail, the description is not to be taken as limiting, since many variations thereof and other embodiments will undoubtedly readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Instead, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to have my invention limited except to the extent made necessary by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a cabinet having a hinged lid, a compensating lid support comprising a,casing secured to a wall of said cabinet, said casing having a slot therein, a lever of the first class pivotally carried by said casing and having one end extending through said slot into the interior of said casing, a link pivotally attached to said lid, said link being pivotally connected to said lever at its other end, and a coil spring concealed within said casing, said spring having one of its ends secured to the first named end of said lever and having its other end secured to said casing, and said lever and said link being so constructed and arranged relative to each other that when said lid is in closed position said link lies substantially in line with the lid hinge whereby said lever effects a locking action on said lid through said link in response to said spring.

2. In combination with a cabinet having a hinged lid and a motor board, a compensating lid support comprising a casing secured to a wall of said cabinet above said motor board, said casing having a slot therein, a lever of the first class pivotally carried by said casing and having one end extending through said slot into the interior of said casing, a link pivotally attached to said lid, said link being pivotally connected to said lever at its other end, and a coil spring concealed within said casing, said spring having one end thereof secured to the first named end of said lever and having its other end secured to said casing, and said lever and said link being so constructed and arranged relative to each other that when said lid is in closed position the pivotal connection between said lever and said link lies nearer to said motor board than does the pivotal connection between said link and said lid and said link lies substantially in.

line with the lid hinge whereby said lever effects a locking action upon said lid through said link in response to said spring.

BENJAMIN R. CARSON.

- CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,269,251. January 6, 19112.

BENJAMIN R. CARSON.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, secnd column, line 9, after "position" insert when--; and that the said Letters Patent should be read v vith this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office."

Signed and sealed this 17th day of February, A. D. 1914.2.

Henry Va n Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

